Which states make schools screen young children for reading difficulties and dyslexia — and what that means for what you should have received by now.
| State | School screening | What the law says | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysK-3 students are screened for dyslexia under the Alabama Literacy Act, twice yearly in kindergarten. | SourceAla. Code § 16-6G-3 |
| Alaska | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysK-3 students are screened for reading difficulties including dyslexia three times a year under the Alaska Reads Act. | SourceAS § 14.30.760 |
| Arizona | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysK-1 students are screened for dyslexia once a year; K-3 reading assessments are also required. | SourceA.R.S. § 15-704 |
| Arkansas | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysAll K-2 students are screened for dyslexia; older students are screened when they show documented reading difficulty. | SourceArk. Code § 6-41-603 |
| California | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysEvery K–2 pupil is screened annually for risk of reading difficulties including dyslexia (since 2025–26); parents get notice 15 days before and results within 45 days | SourceEduc. Code §53008 |
| Colorado | School screeningPhasing in | What the law saysUniversal K-3 dyslexia screening under SB 25-200 phases in by grade, beginning with kindergarten in 2027-28. | SourceC.R.S. § 22-7-1208 |
| Connecticut | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysDistricts must use CSDE-approved universal screening reading assessments in grades K-3 that identify students at risk for dyslexia. | SourceCGS §§ 10-14t to 10-14z |
| Delaware | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysEvery K-3 student is screened for reading competency, including dyslexia, three times a year with a state-listed screener. | Source14 Del. C. § 158 |
| Florida | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysThe state FAST screening system identifies characteristics of dyslexia; a flagged child gets further screening, immediate intervention, parent notice, and a plan within 45 days | SourceFla. Stat. §1008.25(9); Rule 6A-6.053 |
| Georgia | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysAll kindergarten students are screened for dyslexia characteristics; grades 1-3 students identified through response-to-intervention are also screened. | SourceO.C.G.A. § 20-2-159.6(f) |
| Hawaii | School screeningPhasing in | What the law saysDyslexia screening for K-3 students begins in the 2028-29 school year under a 2026 law (HB 1891). | SourceHRS § 302A- (HB 1891, 2026; section unclassified at publication); HAR § 8-54-19 |
| Idaho | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysStatewide Tier 1 dyslexia screening in K–3 via the fall reading assessment; Tier 2 diagnostic for flagged K–5 students. | SourceIdaho Code §33-1811 |
| Illinois | School screeningPhasing in | What the law saysA 2025 law (SB 1672, P.A. 104-0389) phases in universal K–3 screening at least twice a year; ISBE rules and dates are still being set — treat Illinois screening as arriving, not arrived | Source105 ILCS 5/2-3.161; P.A. 104-0389 |
| Indiana | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysUniversal IDOE-approved screener for all K–2 students within the first 90 school days; grades 3+ screened if a teacher notes difficulty. | SourceIC 20-35.5-2 |
| Iowa | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysUniversal reading screening for all K–3 students flags students at risk, including characteristics of dyslexia (Iowa DOE). | SourceIowa Code §279.68 |
| Kansas | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysUniversal screening for reading risk and dyslexia three times a year under the KSDE protocol and accreditation requirements. | SourceKSDE Dyslexia Handbook (state board requirement) |
| Kentucky | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysUniversal screener plus reading diagnostic in K–3 identifies students showing characteristics of dyslexia; districts must adopt dyslexia policies. | SourceKRS 158.305; 158.307 |
| Louisiana | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysEvery K–3 child screened at least once for impediments including dyslexia; dyslexia screening of all kindergartners by the end of kindergarten. | SourceLa. R.S. §17:392; §17:392.1 |
| Maine | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysSchools must screen K–2 students a teacher identifies as struggling with phonological awareness, decoding, or related skills. | Source20-A M.R.S. §4710-B |
| Maryland | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysAll kindergartners screened for risk of reading difficulties; unscreened or at-risk first graders screened too, extended to grades 2–3 by COMAR. | SourceMd. Educ. §4-136; COMAR 13A.03.08 |
| Massachusetts | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysEvery K–3 student assessed with a DESE-approved early literacy screener at least twice per year, effective July 1, 2023. | Source603 CMR 28.03(1)(f) |
| Michigan | School screeningPhasing in | What the law saysUniversal K-3 dyslexia screening at least 3 times per year begins in the 2027-28 school year (MCL 380.1280f). | SourceMCL 380.1280f (PA 146/147 of 2024) |
| Minnesota | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysStudents not reading at grade level by end of kindergarten, grade 1, or grade 2 must be screened for dyslexia characteristics. | SourceMinn. Stat. 120B.12, subd. 2 |
| Mississippi | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysAll students screened with a state-approved screener in spring of kindergarten and fall of grade 1; parents notified of failure. | SourceMiss. Code 37-173-15(1)(a) |
| Missouri | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysAll K-3 students screened for characteristics of dyslexia three times per year; at-risk students get a Reading Success Plan. | SourceMo. Rev. Stat. 167.950 |
| Montana | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysScreening instrument including dyslexia screening for students in their first year admitted to a district, through grade 2. | SourceMont. Code Ann. 20-7-469 |
| Nebraska | School screeningNo mandate in force | What the law saysNo dyslexia-specific screening mandate; approved K-3 reading screeners flag reading risk, and a dyslexia screener is optional. | SourceNeb. Rev. Stat. 79-11,157.01, 79-2603; NDE FAQ |
| Nevada | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysK-3 pupils with dyslexia indicators who need intervention receive the early literacy screening assessment (NRS 388.439, 388.441). | SourceNRS 388.439, 388.441 |
| New Hampshire | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysAll K-3 students screened on entry (within 60 school days) and at least twice yearly through grade 3 (RSA 200:59). | SourceRSA 200:59 |
| New Jersey | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysStudents showing potential indicators of dyslexia are screened no later than the first semester of second grade. | SourceN.J.S.A. 18A:40-5.3 |
| New Mexico | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysAll entering first-graders are screened for dyslexia by the first standardized reporting date, using a department-approved screener. | SourceNMSA § 22-13-32; NMAC 6.30.17.9 |
| New York | School screeningNo mandate in force | What the law saysNo universal dyslexia screening mandate is in force; a state Center for Dyslexia and Dysgraphia (law signed December 11, 2025) will set K–5 screening standards that do not exist yet | SourceEduc. Law Ch. 216 (2017); S.5569/A.2687 (2025) |
| North Carolina | School screeningNo mandate in force | What the law saysNo dyslexia-specific universal screening mandate in statute: S.L. 2017-127 (HB 149) required the State Board of Education to define dyslexia in its specific learning disability policies, to make professional development and parent information available, and local boards to review their diagnostic tools and screening instruments and determine if additional tools were needed, but it enacted no screening mandate (and there is no G.S. 115C-83.3A). Separately, all kindergarten through third grade students must be assessed with valid, reliable, formative, and diagnostic reading assessments made available by the State Board under Read to Achieve (G.S. 115C-83.6). | SourceG.S. 115C-83.6; S.L. 2017-127 (HB 149) |
| North Dakota | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysUniversal screening of all enrolled students age 7 and younger for dyslexia risk, including phonemic awareness, decoding and spelling. | SourceNDCC §§ 15.1-32-25, 15.1-32-26 |
| Ohio | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysTier 1 dyslexia screening for all students in grades K-3; grades 4-6 on parent request, or teacher request with parent permission. | SourceORC § 3323.251 |
| Oklahoma | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysStudents in grades 1-3 not meeting grade-level reading targets after the beginning-of-year assessment must be screened for characteristics of dyslexia. | Source70 O.S. § 1210.508A (Reading Sufficiency Act) |
| Oregon | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysEvery student is screened for dyslexia risk factors on first enrolling in kindergarten, or in first grade if first enrolling in first grade. | SourceORS § 326.726; OAR 581-022-2445 |
| Pennsylvania | School screeningNo mandate in force | What the law saysNo statewide mandate; Act 69 of 2014 created only a PDE dyslexia screening and early literacy intervention pilot in selected districts. | Source24 P.S. §§ 17-1701-C et seq. (Act 69 of 2014) |
| Rhode Island | School screeningNo mandate in force | What the law saysNo enacted dyslexia-specific screening mandate found; § 16-67-2 requires school-readiness screening at first entry and literacy programs that address dyslexia. | SourceR.I. Gen. Laws § 16-67-2 |
| South Carolina | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysDistricts screen every kindergarten and first-grade student three times a year, and second-graders as needed, for reading difficulties including dyslexia. | SourceS.C. Code § 59-33-520 |
| South Dakota | School screeningNo mandate in force | What the law saysNo state screening mandate found; DOE provides dyslexia guidance and teacher training only. | SourceSD DOE Dyslexia Handbook (guidance only) |
| Tennessee | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysLEAs screen for characteristics of dyslexia through universal screening / RTI2; universal reading screener used K-3. | SourceTenn. Code Ann. 49-1-229, 49-1-905 |
| Texas | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysSchools must screen for dyslexia: kindergarten by the end of the school year, grade 1 by January 31, under the state Dyslexia Handbook | SourceEduc. Code §38.003; TEA Dyslexia Handbook (2024 Update) |
| Utah | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysK-3 students take state benchmark reading assessments three times yearly to identify students at risk in reading. | SourceUtah Code 53E-4-307, 53E-4-307.5 |
| Vermont | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysUniversal reading screener required at least once per year for K-3 students. | Source16 V.S.A. 2907 |
| Virginia | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysState reading screener/assessment required for K-8 students under the Virginia Literacy Act. | SourceVa. Code 22.1-253.13:1 |
| Washington | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysEach district must screen all students in grades K-2 for indications of, or areas associated with, dyslexia. | SourceRCW 28A.320.260 |
| West Virginia | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysReading and dyslexia screeners and/or benchmark assessments required for K-3 students. | SourceW. Va. Code 18-2E-10 |
| Wisconsin | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysUniversal fundamental reading skills screening required in 4K-5K and grades 1-3 under Act 20 framework. | SourceWis. Stat. 118.016 |
| Wyoming | School screeningYes — screening mandated | What the law saysDyslexia screening required once per year for K-2 students; universal reading screener required for K-3. | SourceWyo. Stat. 21-3-404 |
Whatever your state says, the federal right is the same everywhere: you may request a full evaluation in writing at any time, and the school may not use a response-to-intervention process to delay or deny it (34 CFR §300.111; OSEP Memorandum, January 21, 2011). Run the risk check and get the letter.
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